Terms Used In Alabama Code 6-7-50

  • Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
  • Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
  • Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
  • person: includes a corporation as well as a natural person. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.

If any person necessary to be joined as plaintiff in any action or proceeding shall, upon request, not consent to join therein, his name may, nevertheless, be used by the other party plaintiff, upon filing with the clerk of the court an obligation with good and sufficient sureties, to be approved by the judge or the clerk of the court in which the action or proceeding is to be commenced, shown by his endorsement of approval thereon, to protect, save harmless and indemnify the person whose name is so used from the payment of any costs, judgment or expenses in said action. If, however, the plaintiffs shall recover a judgment in such action or proceeding, the person so refusing to allow the use of his name shall not be entitled to receive any part thereof until he pays the expense incurred in giving the obligations, his equitable share of the costs and expenses of the litigation, including plaintiff’s attorney’s fees, and discharges the obligation.